"Questions have arisen from various quarters, leading to 'uncertainty' about the timing of the elections"

Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh on August 5, a common question among citizens has been: When will the next parliamentary elections be held?

The BNP, one of Bangladesh’s primary political parties, has been pressing the interim government to announce an election roadmap. However, the government has yet to issue any timeline.

In his address to the nation upon assuming office, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus stated, “Deciding when elections will be held is purely a political decision, not ours. The people of the country must decide when our role concludes.” Following the initial round of dialogues with political parties, it was announced that elections would be scheduled after essential reforms are implemented in key areas.

To facilitate these reforms, ten commissions have been established to propose changes in areas such as the electoral system, public administration, police, judiciary, anti-corruption practices, constitutional reform, and healthcare.

These commissions are expected to submit their reports by December, after which the main phase of reforms is set to commence. However, the government has not provided details on how long these reforms might take or when elections could realistically be scheduled.

The following provides a summary of statements from government officials and political parties regarding the election timeline.